Automatic loom shuttle



May 3o, 1944. J, G; ALLEN 2,350,307

` AUTOMATIC LooM SHUTTLE Filed sept. 2s, 1942 www "www INVENTOR. JAMESG. ALLEN A'rroawsv v Patented May 30, .194.4

AUTOMATIC LOOM snU'r'rLE' James Gardiner Allen, Hopedale, Mass., assgnorto Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation Of MaineApplication September 26, 1942, Serial No. 459,795 4 claims. (o1.139-223) The present invention relates to automatically threadingshuttles for looms and, as illustrated herein, relates more particularlyto means for trapping the thread so that the shuttle will not becomeunthreaded.

In Weaving with automatic looms of the filling replenishing type, it isusual to provide a series of filling carriers having iilling woundthereon and contained in a hopper or other suitable supply means, suchfor example, as a rotatable carrier. The end of the lling is usuallysecured to some fixed part so vthat the shuttle on the rst'pickiollowing replenishment will become partially threaded and on thenext or return pick the shuttle will A*become completely threaded. Undersome conditions during the weaving operation, the vfilling thread may bethrown out `of thethread passage in the thread block and the shuttlemaythus become completely unthreaded.

This is objectionable since it usually results in breaking the llingthread and,L since the break usually occurs after the shuttle hasentered the shed, the filling will break in the shed and a short pickwill be woven into the cloth. This short pick must be removed and, sincethe loom must be stopped, loss of production results.

`In order to insure that the shuttle will, be partially threaded duringthe rst pick follow- Ying replenishment, `some, shuttles are providedwith threading blocks having a substantially straightthread guidinggroove or passage Whereinthe rear wall of the thread block recess formsone Wall of the thread groove and the other wall of the thread guidinggroove is formed by rear wall of the block itself. These eyes ,are notentirely satisfactory since the groove varies in Vwidth in accordancewith atmospheric conditions. Such grooves must be made sufficiently wideso that they will not close up even under the -most extreme conditions.Such an eye will unthread` relatively easily. To avoid this condition,threading blocks have been provided having an obstruction in thethreading groove which will prevent unthreading thereof but such blocksare objectionable since they are diicult to thread and hence may notbecome threaded even partially during the first pick afterreplenishment.

One object of the present invention is to pro- 'videan automaticallythreading shuttle which will Vovercome the above mentioned difficulties.To this end, the threading block is provided with a threading passage orgroove which is substantially straight and unobstructed and which willremain substantially constant in width under all vconditions and whichis provided with a thread trap close to its outer end. In theillustrated embodiment of the invention, the outer end of the threadinggroove in the block terminates rear# wardly of the' outer end wall of`the block receiving recess to provide an effective and satisfactorythread trap which will prevent un-l threading of the shuttle. `v

Another object o f the invention is to improve generally on theconstruction and Voperation of automatically threading shuttles. To thisend, the threading block is formed without any overhanging oroverlapping parts which would require bending into position. As a re-Vsult,manufacture ofthe block is facilitated and less expensive metals,such, for example, as cast iron, can be used while at the same timeproviding athread block which operates vmore certainly than prior blocksboth in ease ofthreading and freedom from unthreading'. With the aboveand other objects'and features in view, the invention will be describedwith ref'- erence to the accompanying drawing which illustrates apreferredembodimentof the invention and in Which- Fig. lis ka plan viewof the outerend of an automatically threading lshuttle embodying thepresent invention; Y

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view in rend elevation of the threading block looking towardthe inner end thereof;

Fig. 4 is a View in front elevation of` the threading block;

Fig. 5 is .view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the shuttle'partiallythreaded prior to the end of the rst pick of the shuttle; and

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation ofthe shuttle shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a view in section taken along the line vri-vn of Fig.v 5.

The shuttle illustrated inv the drawing comprises a shuttle body 2provided with a longitudinal cavity 4 in which a filling carrier such,for

- example, as a bobbin 6, is releasably held in the cavity 4 by anysuitable means (not shownlto permit automatic replacing of the'bobbinwhen the lling F thereon has become substantially exhausted.

The shuttle body2 is recessed at 8 to receive a threading block I 0.`The recess 8 includes a front wall Il, a rear wall l2 vand an outer endwall I4. The front wall Il andthe rear wall I2 are substantiallyparallel to yeach other and to the longitudinal axis of the lshuttlebody 2. The

effective thread trap which will front wall of the shuttle body is cutaway at I6 to provide for a side delivery eye. The body is also providedwith a thread guiding groove Il which extends outwardly and forwardly tothe point of the shuttle and has a curved surface,

its top portion which extends longitudinallyiof f the shuttle. Above thethread passagev24rand the slot 26, the rear side wall 20 is concavedlongitudinally to form a rear thread `guiding wall 28 for guiding thefilling thread F into and through the slot 26 and into the threadpassage 24. The front wall 22 is similarly shaped at 30 to form a guidewall for the filling thread F.

The entrance or inne-r end of the threading block -I is provided with apair of friction members or tension pads 32 of well known constructionwhich are -yieldingly urged into contact with eachother by adjustablesprings (not shown) and receive between them the filling thread F andtension the filling' thread.

'I'he front guide wall 22 is preferably concaved and rounded to form anoutWardl-ydirected hook 34 adjacent tothe outer end of theslotr26 whichis effective to direct the filling thread F laterally awayfrom the `slot26 if the shuttle becomes partially unthreaded. f

The construction described above is old and well 'known in the artfurther herein.

The outer end of the rear w-a1l20-of the threading block I0 issubstantially straight and terminates at the outer wallV I4 of `thethreading block recess 8 and rearwardly of the groove I'I. The forwardface 36 of the rear wall 20 is inclined slightly downwardly andrearwardly as best shown in .Fig.2 yof the drawing and is locatedrearwardly of the forward edge of the -outer end wall I4 of thethreading block recess -8. As illustrated best Vin Fig. 2, the entireforward face 36 is located rearwardly of said forward edge but it isapparent that, if so desired, only -the lower portion thereof need `beso located.

The front wall 22 of the block II) is extended outwardly to constitute ahorn 38 which at its outer end vportion is provided with an inclinedrear face which is spaced from and parallel to the forward face 36 ofthe rear wall 2li of the threading block I0. The slot 40 formed betweenthe horn 38 and the forward face 36 of the rear wall 20 is inclineddownwardly and rearwardly and the slot 40, except at the upper endportion thereof, is located rearwardly of the forward edge of the outerend wall I4 of the recess 8. Thus, at least, the lower end portion ofsaid slot is located rearwardly of said forward'- edge to form anprevent unthreading of the shuttle.

With rthe above construction, a threading slot comprising the slots 26and 40 is provided, which is unobstructed from its inner end adjacent tothe tension pads 32 toits extreme outer end, thus providing a threadingblock which is easily threaded. Because of the location of the lower endportion of theouter end of the slot 40 rearwardly of the forwardedge ofthe outer end wall I4 of the recess `8, the shuttle cannot unthreadafter the first pick. The trapformed by the outand need not be describeder vend wall I4 will prevent the filling from lift- 75.

ing upwardly by reason of a kink or twist in the filling yarn as itbecomes loose or slackened when the shuttle is boxed at the end of therst pick and the lay moves forwardly. Thus the partially threadedshuttle cannot become Unthreaded.

During the second pick the shuttle moves in the opposite direction andthe filling F is pulled forwardly and under a depending horn 42 andpasses out through the opening I6 formed in the front wall of theshuttle 2. It is apparent from the above, that the filling thread F iseffectively trapped not only at the juncture of the wall I4 and theouter end of the slot 36 but is also trapped by the depending horn 42.Thus the shuttle 2 cannot become Unthreaded after the shuttle has beeneither partially or completely threaded.

While the illustrated embodiment of the invention has been found to be apractical form, it is evident that variations may be made in thethreading block and i-n the shuttle itself without departing from thespirit of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters vPatent of the United States is: Y

1. vAn automatically threading loom shuttle comprising a shuttle bodyhaving a cavity therein for receiving alling carrier, a threading blockfixed in a recess formed outwardly of the cavity in said shuttle body,vsaid threading block having a longitudinal thread passage communicatingwith said cavity, said shuttle body having a longitudinal thread grooveextending outwardly and forwardly from said recess, said threading`block having a horn which projects outwardly from the threading blockand has a rearwardly inclined surface, the lower rearward end portion ofwhich surface terminates close-to .and behind the outer end wall of theblock receiving recess, and a rear member having a surface parallel toand cooperating with said inclined .surface .on vthe horn to form athread receiving slot, the lower rearward end portion of said slot lyingbehind the outer end wall of .the block receiving recess to form athread trap to prevent unthreadingof the shuttle.

2. An automatically threading loom shuttle comprising a shuttle Vbodyhaving a cavity therein for receiving a filling carrier, a threadingblock fixed in a recess formed outwardly of the cavity in said shuttlebody, said threading block having a longitudinal thread passagecommunicating with said cavity, said shuttle body having a longitudinalthread groove extending outwardly and forwardly from said recess, saidthreading block having .a horn which projects from the threading blockand having a fiat rearwardly inclined surface, the lower rearward end ofwhich surface teminates close to and behind the outer end wall ofthe-block receiving recess and laterally of the longitudinal passage inthe shuttle body, and a rear member having a surface parallel to andcooperating with said inclined surface on the horn to form a threadreceiving slot, the lower rearward portion of said slot lying entirelybehind the outer end wall of the block receiving -recess to form athread trap to prevent unthreading of the shuttle.

3. An automatically threading loom shuttle comprising a shuttle bodyhaving a cavity therein for receiving a filling carrier, a threadingblock fixed in a recess formed outwardly of the cavity in said shuttlebody, said threading block having a longitudinal thread passagecommunicating withsaid cavity, said shuttle body having a 1ongitudinalthread groove extending outwardly from said recess, said threading blockhaving a horn which projects outwardly from the threading block andwhich is provided with a flat rearwardly and downwardly inclinedsurface, the rearward end portion of which terminates close to andbehind the vouter end wall of the block receiving recess, and a rearmember having a forward end surface portion parallel to and cooperatingwith said inclined surface on the horn to form a thread receivingfslotprojected toward the front wall of the threading block recess at anangle to the longitudinal axis of the shuttle body to form a threadtrap.

4. An automatically threading loom shuttle comprising a shuttle bodyhaving a cavity therein for receiving a lling carrier, a threading blockxed in a recess formed outwardly of the cavity in said shuttle body andhaving a side delivery eye, said threading block having a longitudinalthread passage communicating with said cavity, said shuttle body havinga' longitudinal thread groove extending outwardly from said recess, saidthreading block having a horn projecting outwardly from the threading"yblock and which is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly inclinedsurface the rear lower` end of which terminates close to and behind theouter end wall of the block receiving recess and laterally away from thelongitudinal passage in the shuttle body, and a side member having aforward surface parallel to and cooperating with said inclined surfaceon the horn to form a thread receiving slot inclined downwardly and awayfrom the side delivery eye and projected toward the outer end wall ofthe threading block recess at an angle to the longitudinal axis of theshuttle body, said outer end wall of the recess cooperating with theforward end portion of said horn to form a thread trap to preventunthreading of the shuttle.

JAMES GARDINER ALLEN.

